Rasika Kumar, Sahasra Sambamoorthi, Nadhi Thekkek: Unfiltered

Is one voice worthy? Are our voices worthy together? Join Nadhi Thekkek (Nava Dance Theatre), Rasika Kumar (Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose) and Sahasra Sahi Sambamoorthi (Navatman Dance) as they explore the everyday moments that eventually lead to the boiling points that cascade into change within the bharatanatyam style of dance. With live music and music composition by Roopa Mahadevan. Musicians: Roopa Mahadevan, Rohan Prabhudesai, Arun Ramamurthy, Malavika Walia, and Kavi Srinivasaragavan About Sahasra: Sahasra Sambamoorthi's passion aligns accordingly with Sridhar's; to reignite the fire of the South Asian performing arts within the US. Trained in bharatanatyam by Smt Kalaimamani Ramya Ramnarayan, she has been called by reporters as a "young trailblazer...on the crest of the wave leading us towards a new understanding of South Asian arts in the United States." She continues her studies under Prashant Shah (kathak) and Bijayini Satpathy (odissi) along with bharatanatyam under Ramya as and when possible. Rasika Kumar is an accomplished Bharatanatyam performer and choreographer, steeped in tradition but with contemporary sensibilities. She has been the Associate Artistic Director of the Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose (ADC), having studied under her mother Mythili Kumar, Artistic Director of ADC, and other renowned teachers from Chennai, India. From 2005 - 2016, Rasika was a featured soloist, principal dancer, and choreographer for all of ADC’s performance seasons, and her choreography has been featured in several venues including the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and SF International Arts Festival. Nadhi Thekkek is the Artistic Director of Nava Dance Theatre, a bharatanatyam dance company based in San Francisco, California (USA). She operates on the belief that bharatanatyam, while classical, is a modern medium with potential to push boundaries of how we can use traditional art forms to understand place, identity, and politics. Nadhi’s work has been supported through, Zellerbach Family Foundation, Dancers’ Group CA$H Grants, California Arts Council, East Bay Community Foundation, and CounterPulse. Nadhi is a student of Smt. Sundara Swaminathan (Kala Vandana Dance Company) and Smt. Padmini Chari (Nritya School of Dance, Houston.) As of 2012, she has continued training under Guru Sri. Lakshman Swamy (Nrityalakshana, Chennai.) About Drive East: Immerse yourself in the music and dance traditions of India - and enjoy their various permutations from artists across the globe. A festival like no other, with evenings featuring seasoned artists alongside undiscovered gems from around the world, Drive East brings you the legacy of a modern voice within an ancient form. For more information on Drive East, visit www.driveeast.org.